


Journey

by Rainyhart



Series: Enduring Life [7]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-11
Updated: 2014-10-11
Packaged: 2018-02-20 19:40:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2440526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rainyhart/pseuds/Rainyhart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sam and Lucifer take their cross-country trip to find their siblings.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Journey

**Author's Note:**

> Here's the next part, a little later than I intended but it's here! (Any part after this may take some time but I do eventually plan on writing more, sit tight!)

In the middle of May, when Sam and Lucifer’s freshmen year ends, they pack up everything in their room and stuff it in the backseat and trunk of Lucifer’s Trans Am, and then they’re off heading to the east coast in search of their brothers. 

Miraculously, even with finals Sam managed to find the time to do some researching of his own enough to find out that their hunt had narrowed down to a few towns in South Carolina. They’re gone by noon, leaving the palm trees and stone buildings behind for desert after desert, and then some. By the time they reach Arizona it’s almost eight-thirty at night, and Sam’s just about seen enough hills for the rest of his life, so they stop a few hours in Flagstaff, Arizona to pull over at a rest area and curl up together in the front seat for some sleep. 

They don’t talk about the situation until they’re well into Albuquerque, New Mexico the next day.

“So,” Lucifer flicks his eyes away from the road a moment to study Sam’s expression. “Process of elimination. Where are we thinking? Rock Hill, Greenwood, Columbia, Myrtle Beach?” 

Sam rubs his forehead and takes a look at the map settled in his lap. “I don’t know. We’re not even halfway there.” 

“Do you know the friend they’re staying with?”

Sam nods quietly, and when Lucifer keeps staring at him he sighs.

“Sorry, just…didn’t really see myself having to track down my brother who suddenly decided to grab his boyfriend and leave town because he got kicked out this summer. I mean, we haven’t heard a word from either of them since March and they’ve been ignoring all our calls and texts—doesn't that make you upset?”

Lucifer bites the inside of his cheek for a moment as he thinks; eyes back to the road. “Am I upset?” He repeats with an exhausted sigh. “Sure. Surprised, however? No.” 

Sam notices Lucifer roll his shoulders back, probably for the twelfth time since they started out again at three this morning, and wonders if it’s his stress outlet for this whole situation. When they pull over to fill up on gas ten minutes later Sam asks to switch tasks with him, at least until Oklahoma City, and after buying a bag of chips and a few bottles of water he reluctantly agrees. 

They breeze through the rest of New Mexico, and then Amarillo, Texas, which Sam thinks looks the same with too many mountains and too many cities surrounded by desert. He misses vegetation a lot, and after over five hours of only dry, barren land, he finds himself thinking about how he spent the summer in Wyoming with Lucifer a year ago a lot. 

“You know,” Sam says. “We could always turn around. Head north again for a bit instead. Go to your family’s cabin and just stay there until school starts again,” And he knows they can’t actually. Not now anyway, but he keeps running with the idea anyway. “We have enough money for groceries and I’m sure your dad wouldn’t mind us using it again, maybe this time we could even share a bed.” 

“Would you like that?” Lucifer asks quietly. 

Sam frowns. “I have to make sure Dean is okay.” 

“After, then.”

“Yeah,” Sam says; nods. “I would.” 

\--

The conversation seems to ease them both, and after staying a night in Oklahoma City they spend most of the next day driving through Arkansas to get to Memphis, Tennessee.

In the summer it looks absolutely breath-taking, but because they stay on the interstate on their way through the state they don’t get to experience much of its scenery. Still, Lucifer points out a few nice looking mountains in the distance while Sam’s driving, and they’re equally thankful that at least the grass is green and trees actually exist here.  


In Little Rock, Arkansas, they switch again, and Sam immediately decides to take a short nap while Lucifer is driving. It’s only two hours before he’s woken up to the sight of them crossing the Mississippi River into Memphis.

Sam eagerly rubs the sleep out of his eyes and sits up to get a better look, unable to hold back his excitement. 

“Woah,” Sam breathes. He takes it all in for a minute before twisting to look at Lucifer with a grin on his face. 

“It’s pretty neat, isn’t it?” Lucifer asks, obviously amused by Sam’s elevated mood. 

They meet gazes a split second, but then Sam licks his lips, just briefly, and Lucifer goes back to focusing on the road. 

“Yeah it’s great, actually-,” Sam’s still staring at him, still smiling; “You think we could stay here? I mean, for the night?” 

Lucifer smirks.

“On the river?”

Sam snorts, “In Memphis smart-ass,” and shoves his shoulder playfully. 

Lucifer sticks his tongue out in return, but agrees a second later because if they were going to have to confront their brothers soon it’s only fair that they deserved a little fun for themselves first. 

\--

They decide on a hotel on the river, and the clerk looks less than thrilled when they come in and ask for a single room for the night. Lucifer catches the woman raise an eyebrow, and Sam must too because he immediately jumps into a story about them having missed a flight at the airport out to a family reunion, details included and polished into a perfectly clean lie for having been made up on the spot that Lucifer’s incredibly impressed. The stressed creases on the woman’s forehead ease up then, and even though they should probably be pissed for being judged so quickly, Lucifer hands her his card, providing the info needed and only that before roughly looping his pinky through Sam’s belt loop on his jeans and tugging him down to their room. 

He collapses on the bed as soon as his bag hits the floor and laughs into one of the decretive pillows until Sam joins him, a light hand on the small of his back as he sits on the edge of the bed. 

“What?” He laughs, and when Lucifer starts to calm down he smirks, “Too much?” 

“You’re unbelievable, you know that?” Lucifer turns over and meets his smirk with a grin. 

Sam cards his hand through Lucifer’s hair then, gently massaging the scalp while they stare at each other before Sam ruffles it and gets up just in time for Lucifer to unsuccessfully swat the air. 

“I don’t think I’ve ever been in a room this nice before,” Sam observes, taking a quick walk around their room before settling in an armchair in the corner. “Couldn’t ever afford it.”  


Lucifer sits up and hums. “It’s not bad. Drapes and paintings,” He shrugs. “I could show you a real one some time, probably.” 

Sam raises an eyebrow. 

“San Francisco, Four Seasons, nine years ago,” Lucifer fills in. “I’ve been around.”

“Four Seasons _hotel?_ ” Sam gapes. “What did you do there?” 

Lucifer rolls his eyes. “Mope, mostly. My dad had business so he basically paid for the rooms and we didn’t see him until we flew out on our last day there.”

The image of a ten year old Lucifer sulking by himself in a pricey hotel room makes Sam frown. They’ve both shared stories about their families over the few years of knowing each other, several of them being more depressing than heartwarming and uplifting, but it still creates a sad tension with each shared miserable experience. 

“We should go out,” Sam suddenly stands, setting Lucifer on full alert.

He blinks, glances at the door, then back at Sam. “What? Now?”

“Yeah,” Sam says, glad to get the topic off past subjects. “Let’s just go grab a drink or something.”

Lucifer opens his mouth to say something more but then he notices the look on Sam’s face, and it’s just faint, but sharing a dorm with his boyfriend for so long has taught him better so he decides against it and quietly follows him out, their fingers gently brushing against each other until Sam interlocks them. Lucifer squeezes softly, and after a deep quiet breath, Sam returns the gesture. 

\--

Luckily they don’t have to walk far, and end up at a restaurant just across the street with a bar that they end up staying at for some dinner, followed by more than just a few drinks. The topics stay light, going from movies they plan on wanting to see before the summer is over to the guy that paraded around their hall back at Stanford completely naked one day with his balls painted pink. Neither of them knows the story behind it to this day but it gets them laughing hard enough that they get a few stares from the other restaurant consumers. 

They shove out the moment they both feel pretty buzzed, and take in the still, warm spring air and dull night sky above them. Sam frowns at the lights of the city overbearing the brightness of the stars, his mood deflating momentarily before looking both ways and pulling Lucifer with him across the street towards a park this time. The sign in the grass says it’s open until midnight, and Sam almost trips over the curb trying to move closer to the wide Mississippi river ahead of them. 

“Hey, Sam,” Lucifer laughs, but Sam shushes him, glaring at something in concentration. 

He keeps guiding him through the darkness like that until their feet hit pavement, the running path near the river in the park, and finally stops to stare at the water in fascination.

“It’s-… wow,” Sam mumbles. 

“Yeah,” Lucifer says. 

The moon is bigger, and for some reason it seems closer than usual here, reflecting off the river that sets a gentle glow to everything it touches. It’s mesmerizing enough that Sam fights back the curious urge to dive in and swim in it, to completely submerge in the light covering the dark waters before them. Instead he sits, Lucifer following with, and leans back with one deep sigh. 

“Why are we doing this,” Sam says, and Lucifer eyes him. “I mean like, this whole thing is just shit y’know—with dad and Dean. He couldn’t even have the damn decency to call me back when I left him a hundred messages about where the hell he decided to run off too and it’s just,” He takes another breath, exhaling while he drags a hand down his face to showcase his frustration.

Lucifer stays quiet, but takes to rubbing his back in small circles as they sit there, bodies facing the open scenery and slumping against each other as a gesture to find comfort. Sam relaxes a bit then, still taking breaths that begin to slow down the more he takes, and the thought reaches him that if he smoked he’d probably be doing that right now too.  


They fall into a comfortable silence for a while, but then Sam starts to stir again. 

“I want to be pissed. I do, I really do, but I can’t,” He exhales. “I just need to know he’s alright and that everything is gonna be okay with this whole, tangled, web of a mess. That’s all I want.” 

Sam observes Lucifer, noticing his averted gaze and weary expression, and then pushes himself up. When he gets a quizzical expression, Sam takes his arm and pulls him up too. 

“Come on,” He coaxes, gently. “Let’s go before someone kicks us out.”

They shuffle back over to the other side of the street, deciding to walk a bit before they go back to their motel room so they can sober up some more. 

Lights illuminate the road and side-walks, complete silence fills the air, no cars in sight, and Sam leads Lucifer into the street to soak it all in. 

“I think this is my favorite so far,” He says while they walk. “Memphis.” 

Lucifer hums in agreement. 

“There’s just something calming about the atmosphere. I can’t put a finger on it, but it’s something.” 

Sam stops them at the end of a street, observing the lit up buildings ahead of them with a trace of awe, and laughs. 

The sound vibrates through the air, piercing straight through Lucifer and leaving a sense of warmth throughout him that makes him smile in response. 

“What?” 

“How many cities have we been through,” Sam looks at Lucifer, “And this one is the one that captures me the most. I don’t know why but I just find that funny.”  


A thousand jitters start in Lucifer’s stomach when he meets Sam’s eyes, and the reply he thought he had to the statement vanishes before he can get a good grip on it. Instead he leans forward and pulls Sam down until their lips meet. 

It melts to passion straight away, tongues sliding with and against one another, hands fist-filled with shirts and bodies pressed together. But it’s ruined when a car swerves around them and honks, forcing them apart from their session. 

They rush back to their motel, then, laughing the whole way there and even harder when they realize the lady at the front desk isn’t there to see them holding hands together.  


When they finally fall onto the bed of their room neither wastes time getting back to where they left off. All kisses on skin once their clothing is removed, laughing when they accidentally bump noses, and sliding of skin moving together in the act of pleasing one another. The last thing on their minds at the moment is the journey ahead of them, and they fall asleep contently wrapped in each other’s arms once their through, sleeping undisturbed throughout the night for the first time in a long time. 

\--

The next morning is a blur of several cups of coffee. There’s playful, tired shoving while they shuffle into their clothes, and then they’re reloading everything into the back of the car. 

It’s warmer out today, and both decide sunglasses are a good idea against the sun. There’s a different lady at the desk this morning when they go to check out and she barely glances at them twice when she exchanges their room card for the bill and wishes them a good rest of the day. 

When they get back to the car Lucifer calls dibs on driving before Sam can get a word out, but Sam just shrugs and slides into the passenger seat without a word. A soft jazz station comes on the second Lucifer starts the car up, neither of them makes a comment on it, but as they’re pulling out Lucifer turns the radio down and eyes Sam over.

“So, breakfast?” He has such a cheerful expression on his face for someone who just rolled out of bed and drowned himself in four cups of coffee. 

Sam gives him a nod, and they start off through Memphis looking for a place to eat. 

Honestly, he’s not sure why he’s more cheerful himself. Last night was the most fun either of them had probably had since their road-trip last summer. And it’s hard to beat _that_. A smile eases onto Sam’s face when he thinks about the fact that they’re driving along the very road they were at last night. Soaking in the city and all it brought to offer them just for the night, and cherishing that they were able to experience it together. 

The car swings into a parking lot and Sam tries to get a look of the sign above the door while Lucifer parks, but it goes by too quickly for him to make out anything. 

“Where are we?” 

“Breakfast,” Lucifer puts the car in park.

\--

It turns out to be a Denny’s right at the edge of the largest part of the city. Sam lurks behind Lucifer as they go in and get seated, and because it’s still pretty early it takes no time at all for them to be placed at a booth. 

“I’d like a coffee,” Lucifer says almost immediately, “Two, actually. And a water.” 

The hostess quickly scribbles the order down and leaves, and they’re left alone to look at their menus. 

“Before you give me a look,” Lucifer holds a finger up, “I’m not planning on downing any more coffee than the one cup I ordered unless I want to be jiggling my leg for the next two and a half hours, so the extra beverages are yours.”

Sam brings his gaze up from the folded menu on the table in front of him. “What?” 

“Are you alright?” 

It’s a good question, and Sam digs for an answer but all he can think of is that afternoon six months ago, _half a year ago_ , and that he’s just a little over ten hours away from the meeting with their brothers if they don’t stop again tonight. After the short talk Sam had with Dean over spring break, they haven’t talked since. Not a text, not a message, not one phone call to let Sam know that he and Castiel were fine.

It hits Sam that he doesn’t even _know_ that they are where he thinks they are. They could have left the state altogether and run somewhere else. Maybe they didn’t even go to Dean’s friend’s in the first place, and they’re still in Kansas, like nothing had even happened. It’s not like Castiel or Dean could know Sam told Lucifer and decided to come out looking for them anyway. The whole trip is a skate on thin ice.

“No,” Sam frowns. 

If Lucifer has anything to say about it he’s interrupted by the arrival of their drinks. They’re given the name of their waitress, a practiced smile, and then they’re alone again.  


Sam takes his respective coffee and immediately takes a drink. None of this situation helps that he has a headache from drinking last night, but the hot beverage helps at least a little. 

“I’m just tired,” Sam says, but Lucifer continues to look at him, so he continues, “Of feeling like this is my fault.”

Lucifer blinks and waits to see if Sam wants to elaborate, and after another sip of his coffee, he does.

“This whole thing is because I left. All of it. I mean, not Dean meeting your brother-…but just. You know,” He lowers his eyes to the menu then, and focuses his attention on finding something to order. 

The conversation fades after that, both of them solemnly drinking their coffees and munching on pieces of toast until the restaurant starts to get busy. Neither looks like they want to leave even still, but they get the check and head out anyway.

\--

Sam drives from Memphis, Tennessee all through until the outskirts of Atlanta, Georgia before he asks to switch. They stock up at the nearest gas station on snacks and more water bottles, take a bathroom break, and then it’s the final stretch to South Carolina with Lucifer at the wheel.

“Charleston,” Sam mutters once they’re back on the interstate. “They’re in Charleston. I found the address back in Oklahoma City.” 

“Oh,” Lucifer says. 

“Dean just gave me the address when he called so I traced it to Charleston.”

Lucifer glances at Sam then. 

“Do you think…he wanted us to come looking for them?”

“Maybe,” Sam shrugs. “I don’t know.” He sighs, defeated, and focuses on the cars passing in the next lane over until he falls asleep. 

They get to Charleston five hours later. It’s sunset and Sam’s still sleeping in the passenger seat as thin rays of light pass over his relaxed features while Lucifer cruises around the quiet streets. He doesn’t want to wake Sam up just yet, so instead he buys them some more time by filling up their tank and buying the weekly paper to give him something to do while he waits.

It gets too dark to really read it by the start of the third page, and Sam stirs by the time Lucifer eventually gives up and folds it back into a neat square.

“Hey,” He says gently. 

“Hey,” Sam sits up and cracks his shoulder. “Why are we-…?”

Lucifer puts the paper in his lap, and Sam picks it up to peer at the cover. The air seems to go still after that, but Sam just nods and puts the newspaper back down like he had just read the weather for the day instead of that he was fifteen minutes from seeing his brother again after half a year.

“Do you need the address?” His voice sounds extremely quiet. 

“Yes.”

Sam takes a breath and swallows nervously. 

“Okay.”

\--

The house is actually a small brick row house just outside of downtown Charleston. They park down the street where there aren’t any meters and walk in an uncomfortable silence back to their destination where Sam silently takes note of the four other houses connected to it on the left. 

A light goes off from inside the moment Sam gets to the top of the steps and he tenses visibly before rapping on the door. 

He doesn’t expect anyone to answer at first, or even, for someone entirely unfamiliar to tell them they’ve come all this way for no reason, but then the door cracks open and there’s Castiel in nothing but boxers and a ratty wife beater with an expression that reads that he’s extremely surprised by their sudden appearance. 

_Good._ So they didn’t know they were coming after all.

“Lucifer, what are you-,” 

Sam sees Lucifer flinch at his full name being used and sends a quick glare to Castiel. There’s no denying the defense both heard in his voice, but Sam’s not having any of it. He didn’t come over two thousand miles to be talked to like this. For _Lucifer_ to be talked to like this.

“Where’s Dean?” 

Castiel glances over his shoulder a moment before he says, “He’s sleeping.” 

“Bullshit.” 

Sam gets a glare from Castiel this time. 

“We were just getting to bed when you arrived and I really don’t want to disturb anyone over whatever this is so I suggest you-,”

“Castiel,” Lucifer speaks up calmly, “Please.” 

The two of them share a series of looks before Castiel sighs and opens the door enough for the two of them to enter. The inside isn’t much to look at. A kitchen with a table and chair set, a TV and small couch in the open living room next to that, and a staircase leading to the second floor of the house furthest to the right. 

Nothing in particular sticks out to either of them right away until Lucifer almost trips over a body cuddled up with a pillow and blanket on the floor. He raises an eyebrow at Castiel.  


“We aren’t staying here for free. Aaron houses a few other people here for a small monthly fee.”

Sam frowns. It’s been two months at most that they’ve been out here. Even with as much as Dean has saved up from working at the garage won’t be enough to keep them in the same place for long. Or _anywhere_ for that matter. 

“Is Aaron here?”

“No,” Castiel shakes his head. “He usually works at night. Although I don’t think he would mind if you want to stay the night.” 

It’s a nice offer, but Sam hesitates. The only thing Sam knows much about Aaron is that he and Dean were pretty close back when his brother was a senior in high school. Well, that and the fact that their dad had caught Dean smoking joints with him one afternoon in their backyard after school. After that, the last he heard of Aaron was that he moved out here to start some online business. 

He’s about to decline when he looks over and sees someone sprawled out asleep on a mattress in the corner of the room. It’s just light enough in the room for Sam to make out the person’s face, and he swallows nervously.

_Dean._

Sam watches his brother peacefully sleep for a moment, shares a glance with Lucifer, and sighs. 

“We’ll stay.”


End file.
